Every Summer
by storiesofamind
Summary: "How are you so calm about this?" Finn groaned and rolled off her onto the blanket. "It's just," Rach continued, "that you're so calm about this while I'm over here having a panic attack. Did you know this was going to happen?"
1. The Beginning

New story! I hope you have fun. This one is based on _The Notebook_. The plot line is entirely based on the film version. Enjoy! (:

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><p><em><strong>It's like looking through a photo album time and time again. Only these memories are written in words. No pictures to look at. No snapshots to marvel at. Only words that describe a past. Words that describe a past so haunting and beautiful and romantic. Words on paper to tell a timeless story of love and loss. Nothing can quite compare to this story. They met in the summer of 1941. She was a seventeen-year-old from a rich family and he was a poor nineteen-year-old boy working the lumberyard to make his money.<strong>_

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	2. I Wanna Go Out With You

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or The Notebook.**

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><p>"Who's that girl with Quinn?" Finn asked his mate standing beside him. Sam looked over at the dodgem cars where his spirited girlfriend was riding with someone else.<p>

"Her names Rach Berry." he said. "She's here for the summer with her family. Dads got more money than God."

"Right." Finn nodded his head as Quinn came sauntering over and placed a large sloppy kiss on Sam's lips. Rach kept walking with a group of boys about Finn's age. He didn't know them. He just assumed it was some family member and his Neanderthal mates.

Finding immediate interest in the fiery brunette Finn took it upon himself to begin introductions. Sticking to true fashion he walked up to her and stood inches away from her face. "I'm Finn Hudson," he mumbled. Rach scoffed.

"So?"

"So it's really nice to meet you,"

"Rach, who is this guy?" Rach's dark haired companion asked.

"I don't know. Finn Hudson."

"Finn." Dark Hair said calmly. "Rach is with us." Dark Hair pushed Finn and Rach followed him over to the nearby Ferris wheel. Finn watched them go and an idea sprung in his mind. He followed them and watched the wheel turn round and round. Picking his moment, Finn ran and leapt on to the seat between Rach and Dark Hair. He sat down and ignored the protests from Dark Hair.

"Hey! You can only have two to a seat, Finn!" an annoyed controller yelled up.

"Yeah Will! Okay!" he yelled back. Finn turned to Rach and smiled. He stood up and grabbed the bar of the Ferris wheel and dangled there. Rach let out a scream and Quinn and Sam yelled at him from below.

"Will you go out with me?" Finn asked casually as if he wasn't hanging for his life.

"What? No."

"No...?"

"No." Rach repeated. Finn smiled down at her again.

"Why not?"

"I don't know, because I don't want to."

"Okay, then you leave me no other choice." Finn let go of the bar with one hand and Rach screamed again. Finn smiled. "I'm going to ask you one more time. Will you or will you not go out with me?" Finn paused briefly. "I think my hand's slipping."

"Grab the bar Finn before you kill yourself!" Quinn shouted up at him. Both Rach and Finn ignored Quinn attempts at saving his life.

"Okay! Okay! Fine, I'll go out with you!" Rach finally agreed.

"No. Don't do me any favours." Finn said.

"No, no. I want to,"

"Say it."

"I wanna go out with you."

"Come on, Finn!" Quinn called up again. "Grab the bar! She'll go out with you!"

"Say it again." Finn said to Rach, ignoring Quinn.

"_I wanna go out with you!_" Rach replied in a panicked mess.

"All right, all right," Finn chuckled. "We'll go out."

"Oh. You think you're so smart?" Rach asked. Finn smiled and nodded at her. "Let's see how smart you are after I do this." Rach leant forward in the chair and unbuckled Finn's belt. She then began pulling down his pants,

"Oh no. Please don't do that." Finn begged. His begs were left unheard as Rach finished pulling his pants down around his ankles. "Oh no. You did that."

"Ha!" she laughed. "Not so cocky now are you?"

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	3. I Can Be Fun, If You Want

**I own nothing.**

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><p>Days after the initial incident at the carnival Finn and Sam were walking home from work at the lumberyard when Sam spotted Rach strolling down the street. Sam nudged Finn and pointed in her direction. Finn nodded his head in reply and ran over to her to collect on that date.<p>

"Hey," he said, "remember me?"

"Yeah," Rach replied nodding her head. "Mr Underpants." She laughed. Finn stiffened slightly but relaxed instantly when he saw her playful expression on her face. He smiled with her and nodded his head.

"Yeah. That's me."

"Anyway," Rach was saying, "what is it that you wanted, Finn?"

"Do you wanna go out with me?" Rach stopped walking and Finn walked around to stand in front of her. She looked at him.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't wanna. And I don't even know you."

"You don't know me, but I know me."

"No."

"But you said you would." Finn pleaded. Rachel walked around him. "I'm not usually like this, I'm sorry."

"Oh yes you are," Rach said defensively.

"I could be fun, if you want." Finn argued. "I could be pensive, uhh... smart, superstitious, brave? And I, uhh, I can be light on my feet. I could be whatever you want. You just tell me what you want, and I'm gonna be that for you."

"You're dumb," Rach said after a pause, smiling.

"I could be that." Finn laughed. "Come on, one date, what's it gonna hurt?"

"Mmm, I don't think so!" Rach called after her, skipping over to her car. Finn followed her halfway there then stopped.

"Well, what can I do to change your mind?"

"I guess you'll figure that out!"


	4. And So He Went After Her

I own nothing.

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><p><em><strong>Finn was a very persistent boy. He wanted Rach Berry badly. And when Finn Hudson wanted something he went after it. And so Finn Hudson went after Rach Berry. For his plan to work though, Finn needed to enlist some help. He asked his good mates Sam and Quinn to help him out. Sam gladly obliged and that's how the four ended up in the movie theatre that blissful night.<strong>_

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	5. You Guys Do Love Each Other!

**I own nothing.**

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><p>"You sure it's all set up?"<p>

"Relax, Finn," Sam said. "Everything's set up. Quinn is bringing Rach here. Don't worry."

"Yep." Finn and Sam walked towards the movie theatre and spotted the two girls. They were standing by the door and Quinn was trying her hardest not to look around suspiciously. Rach seemed oblivious to Quinn's nervousness. That was a good sign. It meant that Rach didn't suspect anything. Finn took in her brunette hair styled perfectly to complement her facial features. She was truly beautiful. Finn believed it with his entire body, mind and soul.

"Oh! Look who's here! Hey baby," Quinn greeted the boys and Rach grabbed her arm dragging her away from them. Quinn spun around and looked Rach in the eyes with a questioning expression.

"What's he doing here?" she asked. Quinn just shrugged her shoulders and turned back to the boys. Quinn took Sam's arm and Rach reluctantly did the same with Finn.

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><p>In the theatre Rach and Finn were sitting on either side of Sam and Quinn. Unfortunately for them Sam and Quinn had spent the entire film in an intense make out session. It was extremely awkward for the two of them and Finn made an executive decision. He picked up his jacket and ducked along the back of the seats and took a seat next to Rach. She smiled at him and then continued to watch the movie.<p>

Quinn and Sam skipped out to the car after the movie that night. They were so enthusiastic that it kind of scared both Rach and Finn. Finn, the ever-present gentlemen, decided that it'd be best if they walked. He pulled Rach aside and whispered in her ear.

"You wanna walk with me?"

"What are you guys doing? Get in!" Sam ordered. Finn and Rach stayed where they were.

"Yeah." Rach agreed, ignoring Sam.

"We're gonna walk." Finn told Sam.

"Do you guys love each other?" Sam asked the couple as they walked away. Finn snickered at his friend. Sam smiled as a look of understanding washed over his face. "Oh I get it!" he exclaimed. "You guys do love each other!"

"Okay. Goodbye."

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	6. But I Like This Song

**I own nothing.**

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><p>Finn and Rach walked along the streets with the stars shining brightly above them. It was a perfect night. The sky was clear and there were no cars driving around. It was just Finn and Rach. They spent their time just walking and talking. They learnt things about each other that no one else knew. The night was beautiful, Rach was beautiful. Everything was just beautiful.<p>

"So," Finn was saying, "what do you do in your days?"

"Well," Rach replied, "in the mornings I wake up and have breakfast. Then I have a french tutor, followed by a maths tutor, then I have lunch. After lunch I have a history lesson and then an English tutor and then it's time for me to finish up for the day."

"Wow."

"Yeah,"

"What do you do for fun?" Finn asked suddenly. Rach stopped and looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it seems to me that you do all that stuff because you have to and not because you want to. So, what do you do for fun?" Finn explained. Rach stayed where she was and looked at him. Finn shrugged his shoulders and kept walking.

"That is what I do for fun," Rach said finally. Finn shook his head as if he didn't believe her, which he didn't. "What?"

"I don't know. I always just imagined you more..."

"More what?"

"Free."

"Free?"

"Yeah,"

"I am free,"

"You don't seem it." Finn replied. He walked out to the middle of the road. "Come on,"

"What are you doing?" Rach exclaimed as Finn lay down in the middle of the road. "You're gonna get hit!"

"By all the cars?" Finn asked sarcastically. Rach scoffed and looked down at him. "This is what I mean," Finn continued, "when I say you're too tense. Come on. Try it."

"What?" Rach looked from side to side before finally deciding to do it. She wanted to prove a point to Finn. "Fine."

"Cool."

"Singing."

"What?"

"You asked me what I do for me,"

"What now?"

"I love to sing."

"Really?"

"Mmhmm. Most of the time I have all these thoughts bouncin' around in my head but with music in my hand, the world just gets kinda quiet." Rach and Finn lay there on the ground watching the traffic lights change. It was so casual yet interment at the same time. Finally after a few minutes time Rach plucked up the courage to ask what had been nagging at the back of her mind.

"What happens if a car comes?"

"We die."

"What?" Rach began to get up but Finn pushed her back against the ground.

"Relax. Just trust me."Finn assured her. And that's what she did. Finn and Rach lay there for an hour or so before any sort of excitement happened. Along the street came a car beeping at them. Rach scrambled to her feet screaming while Finn calmly ran off the road. When he reached the pavement Rach was in an uncontrollable laughing feet.

"You okay?" Finn laughed along with her as she nodded her head. When she calmed down enough he asked, "Wanna dance with me?"

"Sure." Finn held out his hand for Rach to take it and she looked at him a confused expression as she took it. "What? Now?"

"Yep."

"But there's no music,"

"Then we'll make some," Finn replied as he tool Rach in his arms. He began to hum a song as they danced around the middle of the street. Rach giggled at Finn's attempts to make music for them to dance to too.

"You're a horrible singer,"

"I know,"

"But I like this song." And Finn and Rach danced their way into the night to Finn's little tune.

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	7. Loves Of The Century

**After**_** that night it was so black and white. Finn and Rach fell in love. They spent the entire summer together. Rach and Finn were inseparable. In fact, it was odd to see the two of them without each other. Summers are indifferent to the trials of young love. Armed with warnings and doubts, Finn and Rach gave a remarkably convincing portrayal of a boy and a girl travelling down a very long road with no regard for the consequences.**_

_**They didn't agree on much. In fact they rarely agreed on anything. They fought all the time and they challenged each other every day. But their differences aside Rach and Finn couldn't be separated. Summer loves were the loves of the century.**_

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	8. This Place Is Gigantic!

**I own nothing.**

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><p>Rach rode up to Finn's house on her bike and dropped it on the ground. Finn came bursting through the doors outside and she jumped on him in a passionate kiss. He pushed her against the wall and they were getting very hot and heavy against the wall of the house.<p>

"Is that Rachie out there?" Finn's mother called through the doors. Finn looked at Rach as they sighed because of the interruption. An idea sprung to his mind.

"You wanna go some place?" he asked. Rach nodded her head in agreement and they both sprinted for Finn's truck, chucking Rach's bike on the back as they did so. They drove to a quiet spot right on the creek. Rach marvelled at the big old house. Finn turned to her as he got out of the truck. "Stay here."

"What?" Rach jumped out of the truck and walked towards the creek. She stood and admired its beauty from the shore. The moonlight glistened off the water making an amazing reflection. She heard Finn yell her name and she turned and followed him into the house.

"This place is gigantic!" she exclaimed when she stepped inside and opened her eyes.

"Yeah, a gigantic piece of crap!" Finn laughed. Rach walked up to the staircase and trailed her hand along the broken rail. Finn watched her with an amused expression on his face. She looked so mesmerized by the old run down house by the creek. "One day I'm gonna buy this house and fix it up,"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. It just needs new floors...and walls...roof...furniture,"

"And what about me?" Rach asked. "Don't I get a say in this?"

"Do you want a say in this?" Finn asked.

"Yes,"

"Well, whaddaya want?"

"I want a white house! With blue shutters and a big old porch that runs around the entire house so we can sit outside and drink tea,"

"Anything else?" Finn asked moving closer to her.

"And a room overlooking the creek so I can sit and sing out there and look at the beautiful scenery,"

"Okay,"

"Do you promise?" Rach asked stepping closer to Finn.

"I promise," Finn replied, leaning down to kiss her. When they pulled apart Rach spotted the piano sitting in the next room and moved to play. She sat down on the seat and began to play. Finn watched from the doorway before moving silently towards her. He stood beside her and began kissing her. Rach managed to play for about three seconds before giving into Finn's kisses.

"I can't play Chopsticks with you doing that," she said. Finn laughed and then Rachel moved up and kissed him square on the lips. She swivelled around on the chair and leaned against the piano, Finn's hands making a dull noise from the keys. She moved her lips up to his ears. "Make love to me,"

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	9. I Love You

**I own nothing.**

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><p>Finn and Rach stood on opposite sides of the room. They removed their clothes tentatively one by one in front of each other. When their clothes were fully removed they lay down on the orange blanket on the wooden floor. Finn positioned himself on top of Rach and they began to kiss each other passionately. Finn, oblivious to Rach's panicked breaths was slightly disappointed when she talked to him.<p>

"Finn?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah?"

"You know how I said I wanted to do this," she was saying, "well you're going have to talk me through this."

"Okay," Finn began to kiss her again, making sure not to freak Rach out too much. It was short lived.

"Like? What are you thinking right now?" Finn groaned again and looked up at her.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just... Oh, don't worry," Rach breathed out, still panting heavily.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," Rach replied. They began to kiss each other again. They seemed to be getting into it. It was passionate and heated until Rach spoke again. "How are you so calm about this?" Finn groaned and rolled off her onto the blanket. "It's just," Rach continued, "that you're so calm about this while I'm over here having a panic attack. Did you know this was going to happen?"

"No. No I didn't," Finn replied. Rach sat up and looked down at him.

"Well, did you think about it?"

"Sure, I thought about it but I didn't bring you here for this." Finn sat up and looked her in the eyes. Rach put her head on his shoulder and sighed out in exasperation.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"I love you, you know that?" Finn said. Rach nodded her head on his shoulder, tears falling down her face ever so slowly. Finn waited for Rach to reply. God, he wanted her to say it back.

"I love you too,"

"We don't have to do this if you're not ready," he said. Rach shook her head.

"No. I want to," she replied just as a car door slammed outside. Sam came running into the house puffing loudly.

"Geez Sam. Get out!"

"Look, I'm sorry Finn but Rach's parents have got the cops out looking for her. We've got to go,"

"Okay," Finn replied. Rach and Finn stood as soon as Sam had left the room and they dressed quickly and raced to Finn's truck. Rach was fuming to herself that her parents had sent the police out to look for her. She wasn't missing and they knew that she was Finn. She was so angry. She stopped halfway to the car and took deep, calming breaths. Finn ran up to her and grabbed her hand. "Come on,"

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	10. Don't Do This!

**I own nothing.**

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><p>"You sent the police after me?" Rach barged through the front door with Finn close on her heels. Her mother rolled her eyes and stopped pacing the floor of the hallway. Her mother, with her long brown hair and nose just like Rach's, looked beyond worried. She just looked pissed off now.<p>

"Yes, we sent the police after you. It's two in the morning, Rachel!" she screamed back. Finn stood in the doorway as her father walked past the quarrelling women and near where Finn was standing to observe the fighting before he stepped in.

"With all due respect sir," Finn said, "it was entirely my fault. I lost track of time. It was none of Rach's fault." Mr Berry just looked at Finn with a hard expression before he stood between his wife and his daughter.

"I'd like to speak with you, Rachie," he said. Rach nodded her head and stayed where she was. "_Alone_."

"Sir," Finn started again but Mr Berry just got up close to his face and stared.

"Sit down." Finn did as he was told and watched as Mr Berry followed his wife and daughter into his office. Mr Berry sat at his desk and waited for an explanation from his daughter.

"Daddy," Rach began, "I am so sorry. I didn't know what time it was, I swear."

"Oh Rachel!" her mother exclaimed and then she turned to Mr Berry. "She is out foolin' around with that boy until two o'clock in the morning and it has got to stop! I didn't spend seventeen years of my life raising a daughter and giving her _everything_, so she could throw it away on a summer romance!"

Finn sat outside the room listening to the screaming coming from inside. He cringed every time someone yelled. He hated that Rach was getting into so much trouble because of him. He sat there and thought things through as the screaming continued on inside.

"_Daddy_!" Rach screamed.

"She will wind up with her heart broken or pregnant! Now he's a nice boy, but he's..." Shelby went on, ignoring the screams from her daughter.

"He's _what_? He is what? Tell me!" Rach demanded.

"He is trash! Trash! Trash! Not for you!"

"He's _not _trash!" Rach screamed back. That was it. Finn got up from his seat and began walking towards the door. The screaming continued on inside but he ignored it.

"...know nothing about love!" Rach screamed. She ran out her father's office and through the house. She threw open the front door looking for Finn. "Finn? Finn!"

"Hey," Finn said, turning around. He took Rach in his arms and held her there as she sobbed into his chest.

"I'm so sorry. So, so sorry,"

"Hey, it's okay."

"No. No it's not," Rach defended. It wasn't the slightest bit okay in her books and she didn't understand why he thought it was. Then she saw the look in his eyes.

"Maybe they're right," Finn said, wiping away the tears with his thumb. Rach pushed away from Finn.

"What do you mean?" she asked, tears still falling down her face.

"I mean, let's just wait out the summer and see what happens," Finn clarified. He felt horrible for putting her through this pain. He didn't want to but he thought it was for the best.

"What? No. No, you don't mean that. You don't want that," Rach sobbed.

"I just don't see how it's going to work. You're going to New York and I'm... I'm staying here,"

"No. You can come to New York with me?" Rach asked. It was meant to sound like a statement but it came out as more of a question than a statement. She was still sobbing and Finn's heart was breaking.

"What am I gonna do in New York?"

"Be with me..."

"I'm sorry, Rach," Finn said. "I just don't think it'll work..."

"Are you breaking up with me?"

"We can just finish out the summer and see what happens then."

"Please don't do this, you don't mean it." Rach begged. Finn only stood there and let her yell at him. It broke his heart. "Oh why wait until the summer ends? Why don't you do it right now?" Finn didn't do anything. He just walked towards his car, staying silent. "Huh? C'mon. Do it! Do it!" Rach began to hit Finn in his stomach and on his face until eventually Finn was hitting himself as well. Rach continued on. "You know what? I'm gonna do it! It's over! Okay? It's over."

"Come here." Finn said. He tried to pull her in for a hug but she just pushed him away from her.

"Don't touch me! I hate you! I hate you!"

"Okay. I'm going." Finn opened his truck door to get in the car. He looked back at Rach again, silently begging for her to calm down and take it all back. No such luck.

"Why don't you just go then?" Rach pushed Finn into his truck and slammed the door, narrowly missing his foot in the process. "Get out! Leave!" Rach screamed. She kicked his truck door and Finn slowly started the engine up. Rach continued to rant and rant and rant. "Go!" she screamed and then, "No, no! Just wait a minute; we're not really breaking up are we? Come on. This is just a fight we're having and tomorrow will be like it never happened right?" Finn just drove away.

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	11. Tell Him That I Love Him

**I own nothing.**

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><p>Rach woke the next morning to the surprise of her life. When she looked out of her bedroom she spied suitcases being packed away into one of the cars that the family owned. She rushed downstairs and found her mother sitting having breakfast at the table. Maids and butlers were nearby doing the kind of things that they did. Some said good morning to Rach but she just ignored them. She stormed right up to her mother.<p>

"What's going on?" she asked her mother. Shelby looked up from the morning paper and took in her daughters dishevelled appearance.

"We're going home," she said. Rach stood back in shock.

"We're leaving now?"

"Mmhmm."

"No, we're not supposed to be leaving for another week," Rach stated firmly. There must've been a mix up somewhere. Maybe her parents had the wrong week and they'd made a mistake. Anything to keep her here.

"Get dressed, come downstairs and have some breakfast. Willa will pack your things."

"Why, I'd be happy to pack your things, Miss Rachie." Willa said. Rach turned on her.

"No! I don't want you to pack my things, I don't want you touch my stuff! I'm not going!" Shelby turned to her daughter with hard eyes.

"Yes, you are."

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><p>Rach dropped her bike on the ground and ran over to where Sam was working in the lumberyard. "Sam!" she called out. Sam turned and saw her frantic figure running towards him so he dropped what he was doing and walked over to her.<p>

"Rach? What are you doing here?" he asked. Rach ignored his question and asked one of her own.

"Where's Finn?"

"He out with another load," Sam answered. "Why?"

"I'm leaving," Rach stated bluntly.

"What? When?" Rach looked behind and saw the cars coming in after her. She turned back to Sam with sad eyes.

"Now. Sam, can you just tell Finn that I love him. Please?"

"Well, I don't know Rachie," Sam said, "he was really cut up last night. I was up with him."

"Please? Please, Sam. Just tell him I love him?" Rach begged as a honk sounded from behind her. "I'm coming! I'm coming Daddy!" she yelled behind her. "Please, Sammy? For me?"

"Okay. I'll tell him you love him, I promise."

"Thank you so much Sam," Rach gave Sam a hug before running back to her car. Sam watched them drive off with a sad expression on his face. He returned back to his work, his mood considerably duller.

Finn came back to the lumberyard not long after. Sam spotted him and ran straight over to him. He explained the situation to Finn who ran straight to his car. Finn drove all the way to Rach's big house but he was too late. Rach was gone. Never to be seen again.

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	12. And Then They Were Finished

I own nothing.

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><p><em><strong>And<strong>** then they were finished. Summer romances begin for all kinds of reasons, but when all is said and done, they have one thing in common. They're shooting stars, a spectacular moment of light in the heavens, fleeting glimpse of eternity, and in a flash they're gone.**_

_**Finn wrote to Rach. He made sure he wrote a letter every day to her. But when he didn't receive any replies from his beloved Rachie he began to lose hope. After a full year of silence he wrote one last letter. A farewell letter. Finn only hoped that Rach read each letter and at least acknowledged them in some way. Nevertheless he soon pushed the letters to the back of his mind and packed up with Sam. **_

_**They headed away and started anew. When the war was declared and America got involved Finn and Sam quickly enlisted for battle. One day when they were trekking through snow in some far off country there was an attack on their battalion. It passed quickly but Sam didn't get out of it alive. Finn was alone. **_

_**He returned home and his father helped him buy the old house. It was while he was visiting the banks that he saw his beloved Rachie. He followed her but wasn't prepared for what he saw. Finn became crazy with the idea of fixing up the house. **__**He got the**_ _**notion into his head that if he restored the old house where they had come that night, Rach would find a way to come back to him. Some called it a labour of love. Others called it something else. But in fact, Finn had gone a little mad.**_

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><p><em><strong>Rach was in her third year of collage when she decided to help out at the local hospital tending to the injured soldiers. To her, each soldier knew Finn or fought alongside him. In a funny way working with the wounded soldiers helped her forget Finn, even just for a little while. It gave her piece of mind that somewhere Finn was getting on with his life. It was while she volunteered that she met Jesse St. James.<strong>_

_**Rach was surprised how quickly she fell in love with Jesse St. James. He was handsome, smart, funny, sophisticated, and charming. He also came from old money and was fabulously wealthy. He was the kind of man that her parents loved. Before she knew it Rach Berry was soon to become Rach St. James, wife of Jesse St. James of St. James Cotton. Of course, her parents were ecstatic. But Rach wondered why when she said yes the face that she saw in her mind was not Jesse's but Finn's.**_

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	13. The House From That Night

**I had a review from the last chapter that said, "i don't really like how this chapter is written or put together. i don't really understand it." and I thought I'd clarify for you all. I tried to stick to the movie as much as possible without making the story drag on too much so what I did was put together in one chapter what happened in their lives while they were apart from each other. If that makes sense..? I hope it does. So basically the previous chapter was just their seperate lives. (: Thannks to fezzlets-pot-o-gold for that review. Much appreciated. (:**

**I own nothing.**

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><p>"Rachie!" her mother exclaimed. "You're going to look beautiful!"<p>

"I know!" Rach was in an expensive bridal shop fitting dresses for her upcoming wedding. She'd brought along her mother, bridesmaids and her maid of honour. All the girls were screaming loudly at the perfect dress that Rach was wearing. Quinn, the girl who introduced Rach to Finn, was part of the bridal party as well. After Rach left she and Quinn had managed to stay in constant contact.

"Rach!" Quinn pointed to a part of the newspaper where the wedding was announced. "Look, it's going to be the wedding of the decade!" The whole room erupted into a loud chorus of squeals.

"I know! It's going to be amazing!" Rach said.

"Look, Rachie." Shelby pointed the paper again. "It says the Governor is coming!"

"Let me see!" Rach snatched the paper from her mother and read the article. She flipped the paper so she could see the entire article. He eyes trailed over the paper stopping at the large picture of Finn standing in front of the house they had gone too that night.

"Oh dear," Rach heard her mother say right before she fainted.

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><p>Rach sat in the bath with her newspaper sitting on a chair nearby. She used her toe to turn the tap on and off repeatedly. She was so troubled by the sudden appearance of her long lost love. Finn had been on her mind for years and when she finally thought she could be happy he had to reappear to make her think all this through.<p>

"Stop!" she scolded herself out loud. She shouldn't have been thinking that way. She wanted to marry Jesse. She loved Jesse. Jesse made her parents happy. He was the perfect choice for her. But why did Finn keep coming back in her mind?

Rach groaned openly and slunk down into the water of the bath. She heard a knock at the door even though she was submerged in bubbles. Without waiting for permission the door swung open and in stepped Quinn, dressed head to toe in pyjamas.

"Stop moping, Rach," she ordered, sitting on the edge of the bath and looking down at Rach's bubble-covered body. Rach popped her head back up from the water and looked at Quinn.

"I am not moping,"

"Sure. 'Cause you haven't been in here for two hours or anything..." Quinn replied sarcastically. Rach sat up more and sighed. Who was she kidding? Rach was definitely moping.

"What am I gonna do, Quinn?"

"Whaddaya wanna do?"

"I don't know..."

"You want my advice?" Rach nodded her head eagerly. "Go down there. See him. Get it out of your system. Works like a charm,"

"You know this personally?" Rach asked, baffled.

"Sure. Did it after Sam and I called it quits," Rach nodded her head along with this.

"Okay," she said, finally coming to a decision. "I'll go,"

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	14. I Don't Sing Anymore

**I Own Nothing.**

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><p>Rach walked into Jesse's office and sat herself down on his desk. He looked up from his work and smiled at her. She smiled back nervously. She was nervous. But what he didn't know couldn't hurt him. Right?<p>

"What can I do for you, Rach?" Jesse asked happily. Rach smiled.

"I don't sing anymore," she stated. Jesse looked at her, confusion clearly written across his face.

"I didn't know you did sing,"

"I know,"

"Well," he said, "then sing,"

"I will," Rach agreed. That was the easy bit. He'd agreed to let her sing so easily. It was because he loved her. She stood up off the desk and walked over to examine the large painting on the back wall. She turned to face her now standing fiancé. "I need to get away,"

"You do?"

"Yeah. I just need to have some time to my own, clear my head."

"You know," Jesse said, moving closer to Rach, "it's normal to get cold feet before your wedding. It's okay. I don't mind,"

"No, no. It's not that," Rach assured him. She moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She rested her head against his chest and inhaled his sweet scent. Outside she could hear the soft murmur of voices. Someone was trying to get in.

"Then what is it?" Jesse asked finally, looking down at her.

"I just want to visit some old friends. Maybe invite them to the wedding. Is that okay?"

"Of course, darling," Jesse replied. There was no hint of suspicion in his voice and Rach let out a muffled sigh into his chest. "Take as much time as you need, okay?"

"Yes. I'll see you in couple of days, alright?" Jesse nodded his head in agreement. The poor guy was oblivious to his fiancé's true intentions. "Okay, I love you,"

"I love you too." Jesse kissed Rach and then let her out. Rach walked out of the room past a bunch of impatient businessmen and out to the lobby of the company. Quinn stood waiting there, a huge smile spread across her face.

"So, did he believe you?" she asked as soon as Rach was within earshot.

"Yep," she replied. "Phase one complete. See you in a few days Quinny,"

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	15. We Were Just A Couple Of Kids

**I own nothing.**

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><p>Rach pulled up in front of the big, white house and sat there for a moment. She was so impressed by how amazing it looked. He'd done it exactly like he promised. It was white with blue shutters and it had a porch that wrapped around the entire house. It looked beautiful.<p>

Rach stepped out of her car and looked at Finn as he stood just metres away from her, beer in hand. He looked lost, confused. She watched him open his mouth as if to say something, then he closed it again deciding against whatever he was about to say to her. She noticed that he didn't look much different; aside from the beard that he'd grown he looked the same. It was daunting.

"Hello," she said. He didn't say anything back so she kept talking. "I came to see how you were. I saw your picture in the paper and I wanted to drop in." He still didn't say anything. She felt stupid for even being there. "I'm sorry. I'm a stupid woman," she said, wrenching her car door back open. "I shouldn't have come here." She climbed into her car and reversed. Rach was so flustered that she didn't even realise she'd hit the fence until it was too late. She tried to start her car but it wouldn't work. Finn appeared beside her.

"Do you want to come inside?" he asked. She nodded her head vigorously.

"Yeah,"

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><p>Finn and Rach sat at the table on opposite ends of each other. So far the day had gone smoothly but that could change in an instant. Rach picked at her food absentmindedly while Finn watched her from across the table. It was a sad sight to see the two previous lovers. Once upon a time they were so comfortable with each other but their history had gotten in the way of their evening. Finn knew all about Rach's life and in turn Rach knew all about Finn's life.<p>

"So," Finn began after a particularly long awkward pause, "Jesse St. James? As in St. James Cotton?" Rach looked up from her food. She wasn't sure if this was a good topic to be discussing at dinner. They were both aware of the unresolved tension and talking about Rach's fiancé might've turned into something ugly.

"Yep. As in St. James Cotton," she replied happily.

"Getting married then?"

"Yeah, I guess I am." Rach hesitated. She wanted to ask him but she wasn't sure how he'd react. She wanted him to come more than anything but he was so goddamn stubborn if their night had proved anything. "Do you... I don't know... maybe wanna... come to the wedding?"

"Sure," Finn said with a forced smile, "I'd love too."

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><p>Finn and Rachel were out the porch. She was sitting in the swinging chair with a cup of coffee in her lap and he was stretched out on the porch leaning against a beam. He was reading Walt Whitlam poetry to her. She'd secretly missed it when he read the poetry to her. It reminded her of old times.<p>

"It was real, wasn't it? You and me. Such a long time ago, we were just a couple of kids. But we really loved each other, didn't we?" Rach asked once Finn had finished. Finn looked up at her with a broad smile across his face, no matter how forced.

"Yeah, I guess we did," he replied. Rach suddenly jerked up as if she'd realised what time it actually was. She put her coffee cup on the porch and stood up. "You know I thought about you every summer after that,"

"Really?" Rach stopped her movements and looked at Finn. He nodded.

"Yeah,"

"I did too," she replied. Rach began walking towards her car. Finn stood and followed her over not daring to ask where she was going in case she never came. "It's late. I should go,"

"Right. Yeah. Of course," Rach handed him back his jacket and opened her car door. Finn caught her wrist before she could get back in the car. "Come back tomorrow? There's something I'd like to show you." Rach looked sceptical. "Please?"

"Yeah. Course. See you tomorrow,"

"Bye," Finn waved her off and stood watching the car disappear down the driveway.

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	16. She Had Come Back

I own nothing.

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><p><em><strong>She had come back into his life like a sudden flame; blazing and streaming into his heart. Finn stayed up all night contemplating the certain agony he knew would be his if he were to lose her twice. In turn, Rach stayed up all night thinking about the day she'd spent with Finn. She thought about where it was going and if it was a good idea for her to return the next day. But she would. And that was how they came to be feeding the ducks and geese in a secluded area of the creek.<strong>_

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	17. I Wrote You Everyday

**I own nothing.**

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><p>"It's beautiful," Rach said as she threw breadcrumbs into the water. She watched the birds swarm the breadcrumbs and smiled.<p>

"They're supposed to migrate away from here," Finn said. He was watching her with such longing in his eyes. Oh, he wanted to take her in his arms and begin their romance all over again. Rach didn't seem to notice this though. Probably better that way.

"They won't stay here?"

"Nope," Finn shook his head and Rach's face dropped slightly but she picked it up again. Finn laughed at her sad expression when she learned they weren't going to stay. Rach sat back up and looked at him properly.

"You seem different,"

"Yeah?" Rach shrugged. "You're different too. But in a good way." A crack of thunder sounded from over their heads and Finn sighed. "Great. Gotta go. Rain's coming in."

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><p>Finn was rowing back to the house when the first drop of rain fell. Rach tried in a desperate attempt to shield herself from the rain by using a hand towel that Finn had sitting in the boat. Finn watched her and began to laugh as the rain fell harder. Rach scoffed and laughed with him when she realised that the towel wasn't going to save her. She threw at him and let the rain drench her.<p>

Finn made it back to the dock and began tying the boat up while Rach made her way back up to the house. She stopped suddenly, a thought coming to her. She marched back down to Finn and stood in front of him. "Why didn't you write me?" she demanded. "Why? It wasn't over for me. I waited for you for seven years. But now it's too late." Finn stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

"I wrote you 365 letters! I wrote you every day for a year."

"You wrote me?"

"Yes... It wasn't over. It still isn't over." Finn crashed his lips against Rach's. She eased into the kiss like she'd been kissing him her entire life. God, he'd missed this. It felt so right for him to have her legs wrapped around his waist.

Finn carried Rach to the house. He crashed through the door and then against a wall. They shed their clothes as they went up the staircase to his bedroom. Finn threw her down onto his bed and kneeled in front of her. He slowly pulled off her panties and stockings. Finn and Rach had possibly the best sex of their life.

When it was over Rach looked over at Finn and smiled. He was panting heavily. She smiled even wider when she looked at him. "You gotta be kiddin' me? All this time and that's what I've been missin'? Let's do it again!"

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	18. It's Not Gonna Be Easy

**I own nothing.**

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><p>Rach woke the next morning with flowers next to her head and a note on the bed head. <em>You looked so peaceful. I couldn't wake you. Gone to get breakfast. Be back soon. Finn. P.S. Follow the arrows. <em>Rach did as the note told her and followed the arrows through the house to a room that overlooked the creek. She gasped when she saw the piano set up in the corner and the desks with the endless amounts of sheet music lined up. Finn had kept this part of the promise as well and given her a music room.

Rach was sitting outside when the car pulled up. She ran down the stairs to answer the door and stopped when she saw her mother there. Shelby did not looked impressed when she saw her daughter wrapped up in the cotton blanket. Rach stepped outside the house and closed the door behind her.

"Hello, Rachie," her mother said coldly.

"What are you doing here?" Rach asked, skipping the greetings.

"Jesse's on his way here,"

"What? Why?" Shelby looked at the ground as though she were ashamed of what she had to say next.

"You're father spilled the beans on Finn. Now Jesse is on his way to take you home,"

"Crap," Rach said. She sat down in the seat and her mother sat in the one next to her. She looked disappointed. Rach couldn't take it. "Come on, mother. Say it. I can see it in your eyes!"

"Yes. I'm disappointed in you! You came down here knowing this would happen. Gosh. Look at you, Rachel."

"Is it true?" Rach asked. "Did you take my letters?"

"Yes." Rach looked at her mother as if she didn't know her anymore.

"You watched me cry myself to sleep for months and months and months and did _nothing_!"

"Get your clothes on. We're going for a drive." Rach scoffed.

"Why would I go for a drive with you?"

"Cause," her mother said, "I might know you a little better than you think. And I don't want you waking up one morning thinking if you'd known everything you might have done something different."

Shelby pulled up in the lumberyard and Rach

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><p>looked at her confused. "What are we doing here?" she asked.<p>

"See that man over there?" Shelby pointed to a slightly overweight man with a balding head. "It might not look it now but back when I was your age... wow... he was really something,"

"I don't understand," Rach said, confused.

"We were in love but my parents... they didn't like it so we decided to run away," Shelby explained. "We'd barely made it to the next town before the cops picked us up,"

"Oh, Mamma." Rach said in compassion.

"Sometimes, when I'm in the area, I just drive here and imagine what my life would've been like if my parents had let me be with him," Shelby began to cry. "Rachie, I love your father. I love him very much okay?"

"I know Mamma. I know,"

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><p>Rach walked up the steps with her letters in her hands and sat down next to Finn. She smiled at him and he smiled back.<p>

"I see you got my letters, finally. What are you gonna do Rach?" he asked. Rach sighed into her hands and shook her head.

"I don't know,"

"We're back to that? Are we back there? What about the past couple of days? They happened, you know." Finn stood up, throwing his chair back as he did so. He bit down on his fist in anger.

"I know! I know that they happened, and they were wonderful. But they were also very irresponsible." Rach stood up and stared Finn hard in the eyes. "I have a fiancé waiting for me at a hotel, who's going to be crushed when he finds out what I did."

"So you make love to me, and go back to your husband. Was that your plan? Was that a test I didn't pass?"

"No, I made a promise to a man. He gave me a ring and I gave him my word."

"And your word is shot to hell now, don't ya think?"

"I don't know. I'll find out when I talk to him." They were shouting now. Finn threw his hands up in the air in frustration.

"It's not about following your heart and it's not about keeping your promises. It's about security." Finn yelled at her. Rach looked appalled at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Money!" Finn yelled even louder. "He's got a lot of money!"

"You smug bastard! I hate you for saying that!" Rach yelled back. Finn was sure they could be heard all the way in town. Rach started to her car with Finn hot on her heels.

"You're bored Rach. You're bored and you know it. You wouldn't be here if there wasn't something missing." Rach spun around on her heels, shooting daggers with her eyes.

"You arrogant son of a bitch!"

"Would you just stay with me?" Finn pleaded with his arms open. Rach looked at him, wondering.

"Stay with you? What for?" she asked. "Look at us! We're already fighting!"

"Well that's what we do, we fight... You tell me when I am being an arrogant son of a bitch and I tell you when you are a pain in the ass. Which you are, 99% of the time. I'm not afraid to hurt your feelings. You have like a 2 second rebound rate, then you're back doing the next pain-in-the-ass thing."

"So what?" Rach asked. Finn moved so that she couldn't get in her car. He leant against the door.

"So it's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be really hard. We're gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, you and me, every day. Will you do something for me, please? Just picture your life for me? 30 years from now, 40 years from now? What's it look like? If it's with him, go. Go! I lost you once, I think I can do it again. If I thought that's what you really wanted. But don't you take the easy way out."

"What easy way?" Rach sobbed. She was crying really hard now. "There is no easy way, no matter what I do, somebody gets hurt."

"Would you stop thinking about what everyone wants? Stop thinking about what I want, what he wants, what your parents want. What do _you_ want? What do you _want_?" Finn asked the baffled girl. Rach still looked so confused.

"It's not that simple!" she cried.

"What. Do. You. Want? Whaddaya want?"

"I have to go now." Rach stated. Finn paused for a moment, looking at her and then he moved out of the way and watched her. He watched her drive away. He watched her go back to her rich fiancé and leave him alone. Again.

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	19. I'll Be Seeing You

I own nothing.

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><p><em><strong>My Dearest Rachie.<br>I couldn't sleep last night because I know that it's over between us. I'm not bitter anymore, because I know that what we had was real. And if in some distant place in the future we see each other in our new lives, I'll smile at you with joy and remember how we spent the summer beneath the trees, learning from each other and growing in love. The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that's what you've given me. That's what I hope to give to you forever. I love you. I'll be seeing you.  
>Finn.<strong>_

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	20. I Already Know I Should Be With You

**I own nothing.**

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><p>Rach sat on the bed with Jesse pacing in front of her. After reading the letter in her car Rach had come back to the hotel and found Jesse in her hotel room. She'd sat him down and told him everything she'd down with Finn while he'd been back home. Jesse looked like he wanted to murder Finn.<p>

"The way I see it," Jesse began to say to Rach, "I got three choices. One, I can shoot him. Two, I can kick the crap out of him. Or three, I leave you." He paused for a moment, taking in Rach's sobbing figure. "Well, all that's no good. You see, 'cause none of those options get me you." Jesse moved to sit beside his fiancé. Rach looked up at him, apologies written in her eyes.

"When I'm with Finn I feel like one person and when I'm with you I feel like someone totally different." Rach explained to her distressed fiancé.

"Rach, it's normal not to forget your first love but I want you for myself. I don't want to convince my fiancée that she should be with me." Rach nodded her head.

"You don't have to. I already know I should be with you." Rach placed her head on Jesse's chest and sobbed in his shirt. He placed his hands around her fragile body and brought her closer to him. "I'm sorry,"

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	21. Properly This Time

**I own nothing.**

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><p>Finn lay in the cotton blanket that Rach had been wrapped up in. He couldn't believe that she'd left him again. She'd chosen Jesse over him and he had to deal with that. He knew it was what she wanted but he was having a hard time coming to terms with it.<p>

His head jolted up at the sound of a car door slamming closed. He picked himself – and the blanket – up and walked over to his bedroom balcony. And he saw her. Rach pulled her last bag out of her car and shrugged up at him. Finn ran downstairs and met her outside. Rach dropped her bags and ran into his arm. Finn wrapped his arms around her body and held close to him for what could have been hours. Now that he had her he refused to let her go.

Finn took Rach's bags inside and the two adults began their life together. Properly this time.

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	22. They Burn Brighter

I own nothing.

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><p><em><strong>And so our story ends here with the union of a love. Summer loves are long lasting romances. They can come back to haunt you after years of separation. They never truly leave you. They burn brighter than the brightest star in the night sky and they can leave people with a sense of happiness or regret or longing. They can weaken even the strongest of people and they can bring out the best even in the hardest of people. Summer loves are miracle that should be acted upon. A summer love is the strongest love there is.<strong>_

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><p>The End.<p>

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